Heidi Range

Heidi Range
Heidi Range (2010)
Background information
Birth name	Heidi India Range
Born	23 May 1983 (1983-05-23)
Origin	Liverpool, England
Genres	Pop, R&B
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Island, RCA
Associated acts	Sugababes, Atomic Kitten

Heidi India Range (born 23 May 1983) is an English singer, songwriter, best known for being the longest serving current member in girl group the Sugababes. Range was an original member of girl group Atomic Kitten, although she left the group after three years of its formation before releasing any material. In 2001 Range replaced Siobhán Donaghy of the Sugababes and has since accumulated six UK number one singles as well as two number one studio albums with the group. In 2007 FHM listed Range as the 94th sexiest woman in the world. As of 2011 Sugababes are on hiatus. Range is currently taking part in ITV1 series Dancing On Ice.

History

1997–01: Early life and Atomic Kitten

In 1997, Range auditioned for a part in the band Scooch, but was rejected as she was too young. Instead, she formed the girl group Atomic Kitten along with Liz McClarnon and Kerry Katona. She recorded several demos and tracks with the group and also appearing on the original version of Whole Again. In 1999 Range decided to leave the group after wanting to pursue a more R&B style of music instead of the pop music Atomic Kitten were making and was therefore replaced with Natasha Hamilton.

2001–11: Joining Sugababes

Main article: Sugababes

In August 2001, Range replaced Siobhán Donaghy of the Sugababes, who left the band in 2001. Her first album with the group, Angels With Dirty Faces, peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart, achieving triple platinum status, and is the group's to date highest selling album. The album produced UK chart-toppers “Freak Like Me” and “Round Round”, both certified silver by the BPI. Three, the Sugababes' third album, was released in October 2003. It reached number three in the UK and produced four singles, all of which reached the top ten. The group's fourth album Taller in More Ways was released in October 2005. The album reached reached number one and went double platinum in the UK. Shortly following the album's release, Buena left the group due to personal reasons, and was replaced by Amelle Berrabah. The group's fifth album Change was released in October 2007. The album, composed of pop and dance songs, reached number one and went platinum in the UK. Change produced three top twenty singles, including "Change", "Denial", and the UK number one "About You Now", signalling the second occasion in which the band were simultaneously number one on the UK album, single, download and airplay charts. The groups' sixth studio album, Catfights and Spotlights was released in 2008, charting in the top ten of the UK Albums Chart, despite becoming a commercial failure, and producing only two singles, "Girls" and "No Can Do", the former peaking at number three on the UK Singles Charts. The album also features a version of "She's Like a Star", with Taio Cruz, which was released prior to the album and charted inside the top twenty in the UK.

The band's seventh studio album Sweet 7 was released in March 2010, featuring the lead single "Get Sexy", which peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart on 6 September 2009; it was the last single to feature Keisha Buchanan after being asked to leave the group after ongoing friction and arguments in the group forcing Range and Berrabah to leave before Keisha leaving the band.

Critics and fans reacted very negatively to the news, and British broadsheet The Guardian ran an article named "Why the Sugababes' show can't go on without Keisha". Digital Spy ran an article called "Keisha Buchanan, We Salute You" in which they thanked her for her contribution to "incredible pop songs". However, it has been claimed by Berrabah and Range that they played no role in the ousting of Buchanan. Both women have claimed to quit the Sugababes themselves only to find that their group's management decided that they would follow them, rather than find two new members for Buchanan. The second single from the album titled "About a Girl" peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, and was the first single to feature new member Jade Ewen. The third single titled "Wear My Kiss" peaked at number seven in the Singles Chart. They released a track Freedom on 25 September 2011 free to download on Amazon UK as a gift for fans and potential new listeners. Heidi Range explained that the Sugababes were "not planning anything at the moment" while they pursued individual endeavors.

2012–present: Sugababes Hiatus and current projects

Range was rumoured to be appearing on Dancing On Ice in November 2011 and was officially confirmed live on This Morning on 3 January 2012. Her partner was Sylvain Longchambon, however, Longchambon had an arm injury and had to pull out. Range's current skating partner is Russian ice skater, Andrei Lipanov. On 19th February 2012, Range was eliminated along with Sebastien Foucan in the double elimination.

Personal life

Range was engaged to MTV and Capital London presenter Dave Berry, who proposed to her on New Year's Eve while on holiday in India. Range had stated her intentions to marry in the winter of 2012, but on 10 December 2011, Range revealed that the couple had separated after eight years together.